Lock for holding gears on shafts



July 14, 1936. v R REED 2,047,706

LOOK FOR HOLDING GEARS 0N SHAFTS Filed June 19, 1954 BY %/%%WM ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED s'T rEsfPATENT. OFFICE ooKron HOLDING GEARS N SHAFTS" Raymond Redfli'oledo, ohi ssign fto Spicer urea...

. Manufacturing Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a

{corporation of Virginia; I

a Application June 19, 1934, Serial l\To. 731,304

' a 6C lai ns. or. 308-163 "This invention relates to means for'retain ing 1 gears on shafts, and more particularly to means for holding the gear or other element on the shaft of a transmission gearing from axial dis- 5 placement, and has forits object, a retaining means consisting of two parts, one, a thrust or retaining member or ring interlocking with theshaft on which the gear is mounted, against axial movement, and the other, a lock member, as a snap ring interlocking with the shaft against rotary movement and the members interlocking together to hold the thrust member or ring against rotaryishifting on the shaft, when inter-J locked therewith, and ,to hold the lock member against axial shifting. Y A further object is a retaining means which requires no weakening of the shaft by boring.- holes to retain plunger locks and the like heretofore used. 7

or ring which is moved into position along the Although I have shown my invention as applied to a gear on the main shaft of a transmission gearing, such as is used in motor vehicles, nevertheless it is equally applicable to other situations.

designates the main shaft of a transmission 5 gearing, this, as will beunderstood, being journalled in the rear wall of the gear box and at its front end it has a pilot bearingin the drive shaft of the gearing, which shaft is journalled in the front wall of the gearv box." This shaft is usually 10 formed with sets of splines, 2, 3, coacting with internal splines on the. main or high speed clutch .:0f the gearing. The shaft is also provided with forthe gear 6;

ventiohaansanti-friction or roller bearing 9 is splines formed on theshaft and locked in position by a member which interlocks withthe splines" and requires no additional borings of the shaft.

a circumferential groove 5 at the endsof the splines 2 opposed to. the gear 6 or the bearing 15 The gear 6. is here shown as rotatably mounted, on the shaft l and as providedwith an internal flange l which thrusts, to

:the right, against the ends of a set of splines 8. It further has for its object a retaining means.

, Also, in the illustrated embodiment of my in 20 interposed between thegear 6 and the bearing surface, It) on thqshafttl The flange l thrusts in one direction against the .endsof the splines 8holding the gear from axial 25 {into a circumferential groove adjacent the gear and 'shiftable circumferentiallyito carry the ingo. ternal teeth, so that theyabut: against the ends of the splines and act as thrust shoulders, and:

means for holding the ring in itsishifted positionp this means; preferablycoactingwith a snap action -jwith the washer, .so.. that the lockringholds the; H retaining ring in position and. the retaining ring;

holds the-lock ring in position. V

. 3:, The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations andconstructions herein- 3 after set, forth and claimed. 40

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transmission gearing;

Figure 2 is asectional view'on line" 2-2,Fig-f I v ure 1, showing the locking means in elevation. it 50 or washer.

' or snapring. .f Figure 5 isa sectional view on line 5-1-5, Fig

Figure 3 is a detail view of the retaining ring Figure 4 is a detail view of the locking member erl l havinginternalteeth l 2 for passing through displacement in one direction, as to the right,

and the gear is held from axial displacement in thepther direction, by means forming the subject matter of this invention.

This; meansincludesaretaining ring'or wash- 3O the spaces between-the splines 2 to permit the retaining or thrust ring to-be moved axially into out of; its operative position, and the teeth to move .into the; groove 5, and then shifted 5 circumferentiallyto y carry the teeth I2 into a position into alinementwithlthe splines to abut J'a'gainst the ends of the splines 2 and serve as In describing, this invention; reference is had: i to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate correspondingpart's in allthe ,sho'ulde'rsto hold the, ring from axial V, V displacementfto' the left (Figure 1);

. 40 The splines '2 and teeth [2 constitute broadly imeans on the shaft and retaining ring or wash- Ler. ll, interlocking to hold the ring or washer from'axial displacement.

,The retainingfor thrust ring II is held in' its operative position by means ,which interlock with the splines zjandalso'with the'ring II when 1in its operative position with the internal teeth I-[abutting against the endspf the splines 2. This'means here shown as an expansible and ring or a split I4 designates the locking member or snap ring, this being resilient, expansible and contractile and having internal teeth at I5 at suitable intervals which interlock with the splines 2 and which slide between the splines, when bringing the snap ring I4 into and out of its operative position. The snap ring I4 is also provided with external hooks or shoulders I6, preferably two located diametrically opposite each other, which interlock in peripheral notches II formed in the retaining ring II. The internal teeth I2 of the retaining ring and the internal teeth I5 of the snap ring are so located that the hooks or shoulders I6 can not become alined with or snap into notches I1 until the retaining ring is shifted circumferentially to bring its internal teeth I2 into abutting relation to the ends of the splines 2. The teeth I5 and the splines constitute means for interlocking to hold the snap ring from rotary movement relative to the shaft. The ring I2 is split for the purpose of making it expansible and contractile in order that the hook I6 may be moved into and out of the notches ll of the ring II, thus eliminating the necessity of bending the shoulders I6 into the notches, after the two rings I4 and II are brought into juxtaposition or out of the notches when the parts are to be disassembled.

In operation, the gear 6 is slid on the shaft (to the right) until the flange 'I abuts against the ends of the splines 8 and the roller bearings 9 are then inserted. The retaining ring II is then placed in' position with the internal teeth I2 in the groove 5 and shifted so that these teeth I2 abut against the ends of the splines 2. The snap ring is then slid along the shaft with its teeth I5 interlocked with the splines 2, and expanded so as to carry the teeth into the notches I! of the retaining ring II and allowed to contact. The bottoms of the notches H are formed bevelled and the shoulders I6 complementally bevelled so that the shoulders IE not only interlock with the side walls of the notches H but also with the bevelled bottoms of the notches I'I, thus constituting broadly, means on the thrust or retaining ring II and on the lock or snap ring I4 for interlocking to hold the snap ring from axial displacement and the thrust ring from rotary displacement.

After the thrust ring II has been located in the groove 5 and turned so that its teeth l2 abut against ends of the splines, the lock ring I4 is so placed that the internal teeth I5 thereof, when interlocking with the splines of the shaft, locate the shoulders or hooks I6 in alinement with the notches I! of the thrust ring so that when the lock ring I4 is expanded slightly, these shoulders or hooks IE will pass through the notches I1, and when the lock ring I4 snaps or contracts, these hooks will interlock in the notches I'I thereof against rotary displacement, and the ends of the hooks or shoulders I6 interlock with the beveled bottoms of the notches I1 and hold the lock ring I4 from axial displacement. The teeth I5 are so located relatively to the notches or the notches I I so located relatively to the internal teeth I2 of the thrust ring II that the shoulders I6 can not be brought into alinement with the notches II, except when the thrust ring I I has been given a partial turn to bring the teeth I2 into abutting relation with the ends of the splines. It will be noted, upon reference to Figures 3 and 4, that thenotches H are, in radial alinement with two of the internal teeth I2 of the thrustring II and that the shoulders or hooks I6 of the snap ring I4 are out of radial alinement with the internal teeth I5 of the snap ring I4. The internal teeth of the thrust ring II and the snap ring I4 fit into splines of the same shaft. It is apparent that due to their relative radial arrangement, the shoulders or hooks I6 can not be brought into alinement with the notches I'I unless the thrust ring II has been turned to bring its internal teeth I2 into abutting relation or into alinement with teeth or splines of the shaft.

Owing to this construction, the retaining ring is readily applied and removed when necessary, as to remove it it is merely necessary to expand it to unhook from the retaining ring, then slide it out along the splines 2. The retaining ring can then be given a partial rotation to aline its internal teeth with the spaces between the splines 2 and then slid out of position. The reverse of these movements replaces the thrust or retaining and the snap ring.

As shown in Figure 3, the spaces between the teeth I2 are formed with grooves or notches G in their bottoms. These grooves or notches were primarily for a type of lock heretofore used. wherein a spring pressed plunger is located in a radial bore in the shaft, the plunger serving to lock a retaining ring occupying the same position as the ring II from axial displacement. The groove serves as a passage for a wire or other tool to depress the spring pressed plunger when it was desired to remove the retaining ring and the gear.

By applicant's lock, the plunger and the hole drilled in the shaft for the plunger are eliminated, thus eliminating the defects resulting in drilled shafts caused by localizing fatigue stresses resulting in the formation of cracks during heat treatment .and straightening.

The groove G, which is left in the retaining ring, permits this retaining ring to also be used in transmission gearings, if desired, where the drilled hole for the plunger lock is provided in the shaft, but the groove G forms no part of this invention.

The construction of the retaining ring herein described and claimed is advantageous in that it results in a more economical construction and more convenient assembling and disassembling of the parts.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a shaft and a rotatable element on the shaft; of means for holding said element from axial displacement including a thrust ring slidable axially of the shaft into and out of operative position, the shaft and the thrust ring having means for interlocking upon partial rotary movement of the ring when in operative position to hold'the ring against axial displacement, and a lock member slidable along the shaft, the shaft and lock member having interlocking means for holding the lock member from rotary movement relative to the shaft, the thrust ring and the lock member having means for interlockingto hold the thrust ring from rotary shifting movement relative to the shaft and to hold the lock member from axial shifting movement.

2. The combination with a shaft and a rotatable element on the shaft; of means for holding position to hold the ring against axial displacement and a lock member slidable along the shaft, the shaft and lock member having interlocking means for holding the lock member from rotary movement relative to the shaft, the thrust ring .and the lock member having means for interlocking to hold the thrust ring from rotary shifting movement relative to the shaft, and to hold the lock member from axial shifting movement, the interlocking means between the thrust ring and lock member being so located relative to the interlocking means between the shaft and the thrust ring, and the interlocking means between the shaft and the lock member, as to come into coacting position only when the thrust ring is interlocked with the shaft against axial shifting.

3. The combination with a shaft, and an element mounted on the shaft, the shaft being formed with splines on the portion thereof at one side of said element and with a circumferential groove adjacent said element and at the ends of the splines; of means for holding said element from axial displacement including a retaining ring having internal teeth for passing between the splines and into the groove, the ring being movable about its axis to shift the teeth thereof into alinement with the splines, whereby the teeth of the ring form shoulders thrusting against the ends of the splines, .and single means interlocking with the splines and with the ring for holding the ring in its shifted position and the last means from axially shifting.

4. The combination with a shaft, an element mounted on the shaft, the shaft being formed with splinesoon the portion thereof at one side of said element and with a circumferential groove adjacent said element and at the ends of the splines; of means for holding said element from axial displacement including a retaining ring having internal teeth for passing between the splines into the groove, the ring being movable about its axis to shift the teeth thereof into alinement with the splines whereby the teeth of the ring form shoulders thrusting against the ends of the splines, and an expansible and contractile snap ring having teeth for interlocking with the splines 3 and shoulders for interlocking with the ring when the latter is in its shifted position, the retaining ring having notches for receiving said shoulders, the shoulders and notches interlocking to also hold the snap ring from axial displacement.

5. The combination with a shaft, an element mounted on the shaft, the shaft being formed with splines on the portion thereof at one side of said element and with a circumferential groove adjacent said element and at the ends of the splines; of means for holding said element from axial displacement including a retaining ring having internal teeth for passing between the splines into the groove, the ring being movable about its axis to shift the teeth thereof into alinement with the splines whereby the teeth of the ring form shoulders thrusting against the ends of the splines, and an expansible andcontractile snap ring having teeth for interlocking with'the splines and shoulders for interlocking with the ring when the latter is in its shifted position, the retaining ring having notches for receiving said shoulders, the shoulders and the notches being formed to interlock to hold the snap ring from axial displacement.

6. The combination with a shaft and a rotatable element mounted on the shaft, the shaft being formed with splines on the portion thereof at one side of said element and with a circumferential groove adjacent said element, of means holding said element from axial displacement including a retaining ring having internal teeth for passing between the splines and into the groove, the ring being movable about its axis to shift the teeth thereof into alinement with the splines, whereby the teeth of the ring form shoulders for thrusting against the ends of the splines, the ring being also formed with peripheral notches and a second ring for locking the retaining ring in its shifted position, the locking ring having internal teeth for passing between the splines of the shaft and shoulders interlocking with the notches and with the opposite side of the retaining ring to that on which the locking ring is located. I

RAYMOND REED. 

